Thermostatically controlled ash tray



July 7, 1953 fM. IKENES THERMOTATICALLY cowmouao ASH TRAY Filed April 17, 1950 3nventqrl.

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Patented July 7, 1953 T HERMOSTATICALLY CONTROLLED TRAY Morris Kenes, Stratford, Conn.

Application April 17, 1950, Serial No. 156,362

12 Claims. (01. 131--240) ASH ' 1 This invention relates to smokers ash trays, and has for an object to provide an ash tray which has a safety device to prevent a lighted cigarette or the like from dropping onto a tablecloth, finished table top or other support on which the tray may be used, and thus preventing burning or marring of such cloth or surface. Ash trays have been made in which a thermostat is used to tip the cigarette rest mounted inv the tray when a cigarette resting in this rest burns to a certain point, but as in this device the thermostat is used as the operating means to tip the rest, considerable movement is required of the thermostat, which requires considerable heating. The result is that after the rest has been tipped to discharge the cigarette into the tray considerable time is required ror'the thermostat to cool sufiiciently to return the rest to the normal position. Also the thermostat may not be heated sufliciently to cause the necessary tipping of the rest to deposit the lighted cigarette in the tray.

It is therefore another object of the present device to provide a rest for the li hted cigarette which is overbalanced and on which a control thermostat is mounted, which thermostat'acts only as a catch means for holding the rest in the normal position, and is so arranged that only a slight movement of the thermostat is required to release the rest to permit it to tip to discharge the lighted cigarette into the tray, and therefore only a relatively small heating of the thermostat is required to release the rest and as a result the thermostat acts very rapidly to permit tipping of the rest and after operation the thermostat cools very rapidly, so that it returns almost immediately to the holding position, and therefore the rest can be returned immediately and reset in its normal holding position. 7

It is a further object of the invention to provide a structure of this type which is of very simple construction and can be manufactured at low cost.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the cigarette rest and a portion of the ash tray on which it is mounted, with parts broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a section substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section substantially on line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a section onsubstantially the same line but showing the rest in the tipped position;

Fig. 5 is an end view looking from the right of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 is a development of the bracket used for mounting the rest.

The device comprises an ash tray In of any suitable construction, but preferably dished to form a receptacle for the ashes with a rim H, and it may be of any form or shape. Secured to the rim H on one side is a cigarette rest orholder, indicated as a whole at 12, and there may be one or more secured to the rim ofthe tray as found desirable. This holder comprises a supporting bracket I3 including a pair of laterally spaced upright side plates I4 connected at their outer ends by the transverse wall I5 in which is an upright slot or opening [6. At the lower edge of the wall I5 is an outwardly extending lug or ear I l which may be soldered or welded to the top of the flange II, as indicated at [8, to mount this holder on the tray. It will be seen that with this arrangement the side walls 14 extend inwardly over the tray [0. Pivoted between these side walls -I 4 is a transversely curved holder or rest IQ for a cigarette, cigar or similar article indicated at dotted lines at 20, and this rest is pivoted to the side members M by a transverse pin 2| secured to the under side of the rest and pro ecting at its opposite ends into openings 22 in the side walls M. This pivot support for the rest I!) is located adjacent the outer end of this rest so that it is overbalanced on the inside from this pivot and therefore itsinner end over the tray tends to tip or drop by force of gravity to an inclined position as shown by Fig. 4.

Secured adjacent the inner end of this concave or trough-shaped rest [9 is a bimetal thermostat 23. It is preferably shaped substantially as indicated in Fig. l, with its end 24 secured to the under side of the member l9 by soldering or other suitable means, and then it is curved laterally and backwardly, as indicated at 25, this curved portion being located inwardly and spaced somewhat from the inner end 26 of the member I 9, which end is also preferably concavely curved, as shown in Fig. 1. The other side 21 of the thermostat extends backwardly toward the rim of the tray and in normal position its free end 28 is located just outwardly of one edge of the opening l6,as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, so that'this end rests against the end wall I5 closely adjacent its lighted end 2811 overhanging the inner end of the element I9 and over the tray. If the cigarette is smoked in the usual way this rest or holder holds it the same as any ordinary tray, but should it be forgotten so that the end a burns to a position where this lighted part comes adjacent the looped portion of the bimetal thermostat 23, it will beat this thermostat, causing the free end 28 to shift laterally into ali nment with the opening I6, as indicated by the dotted lines 280. in Fig. 1. Therefore, this end no longer engages the inner surface of the end wall I5, but as it is in alignment with the opening IEit can pass throu h this opening and. permit the inner end of the cigarette support I9 to drop to the inclined position shown in Fig. 4 under the wei ht of the overbalanced end of the support. This. of course, will dump the li hted cigarette into the tray I 0, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4. This prevents the cigarette from burning to a position where it could drop on the outside of the tray and onto a table top or other article, to burn or mar it. The device may be reset to the normal position of Fi s. 1, 2, 3 and 5 when the thermostat has cooled, by merely swin ing the i trough or rest I 9 to the horizontal position when the free end 28 will again spring to one side of the opening I6 and en age the inner surface of end wall I5 to retain the holder in this position to be again used as a rest or holder for a li hted ci arette. As, however, only relatively slight heating of the thermostat is required to shift its free end 28 from the hold ng to the released position, the movement required being a very small one, the thermostat cools suificiently to permit it to swing back to holding position very quickly so that the rest I9 may be reset almost immediatelv after the cigarette has been deposited in the tray.

It will be noted that the thermostat does not operate to swing the rest to the dumping position, but acts merelv as a releasable catch to hold this rest in the normal position, but when heated a relatively small amount is renuired to shift laterally only a relatively short distance to permit the rest to t p under the action of gravity to deposit the li hted ci arette in the tray.

It is preferred that the inner end portion of the concave or trough-shaped member I 9 be provided with a series of small perforations 29, which serve as ventilating openings and prevent accumulation of condensation or moisture to wet the end of the cigarette. They also permit heat to pass through to the thermostat to further insure the heating of this thermostat and therefore increase the reliability of the device and to insure its dumping should the cigarette burn to a position adjacent the thermostat, and also give a more rapid release of this rest at this time The bracket I3 may be bent from a flat blank as shown in Fig. 6, stamped from sheet metal.

The side arm portions I4 can be bent laterally ally from the lower edge of end wall I5 which is the central portion of the blank 33.

It will be seen this device is a very simple one involving a small number of parts, and therefore may be manufactured at low cost. It will also be apparent the device, in view of the location of the curve of the thermostat immediately under the cigarette resting in the support, will be very reliable and can be depended upon to always operate to deposit the lighted cigarette in the tray should it burn to a point adjacent this curved portion.

It is to be understood that although the device has been described as primarily for use with cigarettes, it is equally adapted for cigars and the like, and the term cigarette is used in a generic sense to include these articles.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described a holder for supporting a lighted cigarette and the like, means for mounting said holder in an unbalanced position, a catch means for retaining the holder in this position including a thermosensitive element associated with, said holder in position to be heated by the lighted end of a cigarette on the holder, and said element being movable when so heated to release the holder to permit the holder to tip from said position.

2. A holder for lighted cigarettes and. the like, means mounting said holder in an unbalanced position so that it tends to tip to dischargea cigarette therefrom, and catch means for retaining the holder in said unbalanced position comprising a thermosensitive means positioned to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a cigarette on the holder and movable when so heated to release the holder to permit it to tip from said position.

3. A smokers ash tray, comprising a container for receiving ashes from a burning cigarette, a holder for a cigarette, means mounting the holder in an unbalanced position on the container so that it tends to tip from this position to deposit the cigarette into the container, and a releasable catch means for retaining the holder in this position including a thermosensitive means associated with the holder in position to be affected by heat from the lighted end of a cigarette on the holder and movable when so affected to release the holder and permit it to tip from said position.

4. A smokers ash tray, comprising a container for receiving ashes "from a burning cigarette, a holder for a cigarette, means mounting the holder in an unbalanced position on the container so that one end tends to drop from this position and the latter end extends over the c0ntainer, a stationary stop shoulder, a thermosensitive element mounted on the holder in position to be afiected by heat from the li hted end of a cigarette on the holder and engaging said shoulder to retain the holder in the unbalanced position, and said element being movable from said shoulder when so affected to release the holder.

5. A smokers ash tray comprising a container for receiving ashes from a burning cigarette, holding means for a lighted cigarette comprising a bracket including laterally spaced upright side Walls and a connecting end wall provided with an opening, means mounting the bracket on the container, a rest for a lighted cigarette pivotally mounted between said side walls in an unbalanced position so that its inner end extends over the container and tends to drop to deposit a cigarette theeffect of heat from said cigarette to shift said end from the wall into alignment with the opening to release the rest and permit the inner end to drop and deposit the cigarette in the container.

6. A smokers ash tray comprising a container for receiving ashes from a burning cigarette.

holding means for a lighted cigarette comprising a bracket including laterally spaced upright side walls and a connecting end Wall provided with an opening therethrough, means mounting the bracket on the container, a trough shaped holder for a lighted cigarette pivotally mounted between the side walls in an unbalanced position so that its inner end tends to drop to deposit a lighted cigarette in the holder into the-container, a bimetallic thermostat connected at one end to the holder and including a curved intermediate portion adjacent the inner end of the holder in position to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a cigarette. in the holder, and the other end of the thermostat engaging the end wall at one side of the opening to retain the holderin the unbalanced position and movable by heating of said curved portion into alignment with the opening to permit the inner end of theholder to drop to deposit'the cigarette in the container.

' '7. A smokers ash tray comprising a container for receiving ashes from a burning cigarette, holding means for a lighted cigarette comprising a trough shaped holder for the cigarette pivotally mounted in an unbalanced position with its inner end tending to drop to deposit a lighted cigarette on the holder into the container, a wall forming a stop shoulder, a bimetallic thermostat secured at one end to the holder and including a curved intermediate portion located adjacent the inner end of the holder in position'to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a cigarette in the Y holder, and the other end of the thermostat normally engaging said shoulder to retain the holder in the unbalanced position and movable from said thermostat secured to the holder in position to be responsive toheat from the lighted end of a cigarette in'the holder, a stop shoulder, and said 1 thermostat being provided with means normally engaging the stop shoulder to retain the holder I in the unbalanced position and movable from said stop shoulder by heatingof the thermostat from said cigarette to release the holder and permit it to drop to deposit the cigarette in the container.

9. An ash tray comprising a container to receive ashes from a burning cigarette, a trough shaped holder for a lighted cigarette pivotally mounted in an unbalanced position with its inner end tending to' drop to deposit a lighted cigarette 'on the holder into the container, a bimetallic thermostat secured to the holder and including a curved portion adjacent the inner end of the holder in position to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a cigarette resting in the holder, a stop shoulder, and said thermostat being alsoprovided with meansto normally engage the stop shoulder to retain the holder in. the unbalanced position and movable from said shoulder when said curved portion is heated by a lighted cigarette to release the holder and permit it to drop to deposit the cigarette in the container- 10. In a device of the character described, a trough shaped holder for supporting a lighted cigarette resting therein and provided with a series of perforations therein adjacent one end, means pivotally mounting said holder in an unbalanced position with said perforated end portion tending to drop, a catch means normally retaining said holder in the unbalanced position and including a thermosensitive element located adjacent said perforated end in position to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a.

cigarette resting in the holder, and said element being movable by heat from said cigarette to release the catch means to permit said perforated end to drop. 1

11. An ash tray comprising a containerto receive ashes from a burning cigarette, atrough shaped holder for a lighted cigarette provided with a series of perforations at one end, means pivotally mounting said holder in an unbalanced position with the perforatedend tending to drop to deposit a cigarette resting in the holder in the container, a bimetallic thermostat secured to the holder and provided with an intermediate curved portion located adjacent said perforated end in position to be responsive to heat from the lighted end of a cigarette resting in the holder, a stop shoulder, and said thermostat being provided with means normally engaging the stop shoulder to retain the holder in the unbalanced position and movable from said stop shoulder by heatingof said curved portion to release the holder and permit its perforated end to drop..

12. A holder for burning cigarettes comprising a fixed standard, a cigarette rest plate of trough-like form for containing a lighted cigarette therein, pivotable on the standard and adapted to swing from a horizontal, cigarette holding position to a downwardly inclined position to dump the cigarette endwise therefrom, and a thermostatic, bi-metal strip attached at one end to the rest plate extending across one end thereof and to supportingly engage with the standard to normally hold the rest plate in said horizontal position, and adapted to be actuated by heat from the burning cigarette to be disengaged from said standard and permit the rest plate to drop to a downwardly inclined position.

MORRIS KENES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Carlson Mar. 24, 1936 Grantham Juner3, 194:1

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